Our time away is nearly over. It has been good to pull away, to talk, to be silent, to shop, to laugh, to sleep, to…well, you get the idea. It has been good {period}. 🙂

And look whose his prisoner! 🙂

We were driving today from Charlotte to Myrtle Beach and had one of those conversations you know you’ll remember for a long time.

I asked Tom about joy, “How would you say your joy is right now?”

His response? “That’s a good question.”

And it lead to a great conversation. We concluded that joy is not dependent on our feelings. It is a fruit of the Spirit, which is something we cannot cultivate on our own. It is produced as we seek God with all our heart, mind and strength. This is when the fruits of His Spirit are born in us.

The Bible says clearly in James, “Count it ALL joy brothers when you encounter trials of various kinds.”

How many of us literally count our trouble as a joy to us? Not many, if you’re like us. But this is a command, not a suggestion. In meditating about this together Tom came up with an excellent analogy.

“There is a reckoning which takes place as we face difficulty. If we look at them as something we don’t deserve, then we will reckon ourselves in debt to the joy we think we should have. If we see our difficulty as something God has allowed ultimately for our good, then we will see them as a credit to us and find the hidden joy in the process.

Wow. See why I love my husband? He has a way of taking these basic truths and breaking them down to everyday applications. I think I have been feeling the lack of joy in my life because I have felt I deserve better. This is bad theology and leaves me with no hope for the future. If I repent of my sinful attitude, God will help me count all my circumstances as joy because I trust the Father has something in store for me that is good.

When was the last time you had a long talk about joy with your spouse? Do you know how they’re doing at reckoning? Are they in the debit column or the credit column? You know, it’s all in the attitude, and talking about it helps you both see more clearly.

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About Debi Walter

Face it, marriage is hard work. But when cultivated daily the fruit produced will satisfy for a lifetime. We're here to help with ideas and encouragement along the way. Having been married 36 years and counting, we share what we've learned with practical tips, Biblical Truths, Date night ideas to help you plow your own vineyard for God's glory.

4 Responses to How Are You at Reckoning

It is hard to be joyful when hard times come into our lives, but my thought is not ‘joy’ like laughing as in happy it is a deep joy of knowing that no matter what … God is going to be,,, will be… promises to be walking with us as we walk through the tough times. It is an internal joy. (kind of like you know without a shadow of doubt you are loved) it is peaceful.

We studied these scriptures just a few nights ago, and one brother worded it “count it a gift”. Totally changes the perspective on trials of any kind when we view them that way!! God only gives us what is good for us, and He only gives good and perfect gifts. Pretty amazing when you look at it in this light!

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Tom and Debi

Face it, marriage is hard work. But when cultivated daily the fruit produced will satisfy for a lifetime. We're here to help with ideas and encouragement along the way. Having been married 36 years and counting, we share what we've learned with practical tips, Biblical Truths, Date night ideas to help you plow your own vineyard for God's glory.